John houston



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

J. HOUSTON.

RADIATOR.

No. 431,975. v Patented July 8, 1890.

fi Zinasu as (No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

J. HOUSTON. RADIATOR.

} No. 431,975. Patented July 8, 1890.

THE s ows ravens no, mum-mum, WILSHWGTON, u. c.

- UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN HOUSTON, OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO THE BURR & HOUSTONCOMPANY, OF SAMETPLAOE.

RADIATOR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 431,975, dated July 8,1890.

Application filed March 29, 1889. Serial No. 305,262. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN HOUSTON, a citizen of the United States,residing in Brooklyn, in the county of Kings and State of New York, haveinvented a certain new and useful Improvement in Radiators, of which thefollowing is a specification.

WVrought-iron tubes have long been used for radiators connected so as tobe inclined first in one direction and then in the other. The water ofcondensation descends to the bottom of each inclined tube and runs along to the bend, where it descends into the length below and runs in theopposite direction. are marked advantages in this arrangement of pipes.

WVith suitable precautions pipes may be cast in one piece of moderatethickness suitable to be connected together or to stand each independenton a hollow base, and each containing several alternate inclinedportions extending to the right and left like the several inclined pipesin a wrought pipe-radiator; but instead of the expense and risk'ofleakage involved by having a great number of returns and joints suchradiators are each in a single piece of cast-iron. In my improvementeach contains a smaller correspondinglycrooked bar of iron which hasserved as a corebar. It tends in a slight degree to facilitate thecirculation when my radiators are used each standing independent. Insuch case the core-bar is a partial division, allowing the steam and airto pass up one side and down the other side of the interior of theradiator with less mingling and in more nearly independent channels byreason ofthe core-bar.

I esteem it important to hold the core very efiectually against becomingdisplaced by a twisting or tilting motion. To prevent such I extend aspur from the core-bar out through the space to be filled with hot metalto constitute the radiator at several points near the mid-length of theradiator. These points, being received in suitable joints, hold the corevery truly in position. There are simply naked spurs extending out fromand being cast with and forming part of the core-bar. When the castingis cold, the outer end of each such spur is filed off or otherwiseremoved, and the earthy portion of the core being loosened and Thereremoved by tumbling the lot of radiators in a sufficiently large barrelor by other su-flicient agitation, and the loose earth shaken out orblown out, or both, the radiator, with its corev bar and spurs united tothe shell-radiator, and all constituting one piece, is ready to bescrew-threaded and united to a base or to another radiator, or otherwiseused, like ordinary radiators. The presence of a core-bar in theinterior does not involve objection by obstructing the passages, becausethere is never any occasion for any strong flow of steam or of any fluidthrough the radiator.

My radiators allow of the presence of webs on the exterior, or on boththe exterior and interior, to give greater surface for receiving theheat from the steam into the metal and for delivering the heat from themetal into the air of the apartment to be warmed. In my experiments Ihave used a continuous web extending up and down on the right and leftof each radiator on the outside.

The accompanying drawings form a part of this specification.

Figure 1 is a general side elevation. Fig. 2 is a corresponding endview. Fig. 3 is a vertical section through the tube and mold. Fig. 4 isan elevation, and Fig. 5 is an edge view. Figs. 3, 4, and 5 are on alarger scale than the preceding figures. Fig. 6 is atransverse sectionon a still larger scale. Fig. 7 is a side view, andFig. 8 is a verticalcrosssection, showing my radiator mounted independently. hen thus seteach has a screwcap.

Similar letters of reference indicate like parts in all the figuresWhere they occur.

A designates the entire radiator, certain portions being marked, whennecessary, by super-numerals, as A. The portions inclined in onedirection are marked A. Those inclined in the opposite direction aremarked A and the curved portions by which they are united are marked A Ashort straight portion at one end is marked A, and alonger straightportion at the other end is marked A By mounting a series of theseradiators side by side with the ends alternately reversed the severalinclined portions A A are brought sufficiently out of the plane of thecorresponding inclines in the adjacent radiators to allow a free flow ofthe heated air upward through the series.

A A are webs extending up and down, as shown, and which serve toincrease the surface to give off the heat.

B is a core bar of an approximate T or more nearly a Y section. One suchbar having the proper serpentine form is employed in the manufacture ofthe core for each radiator and is allowed to remain in the radiator.Each core-bar is formed with spurs b, which extend out, as shown, fromthe outer edge of alternate return-curves A but they may be located atother points. A less number may suffice. WVhatever the number andlocation there must be corresponding or larger prints formed in thegreen-sand or other mold D, in which the radiator is cast. The spurslying in these prints support the core-bar B and hold it exactly inplace. WVhen the core is properly applied 011 the core-bar and baked,the spurs extend out through it and across the thickness of the spacewhich is to mold the radiator and engage strongly in the prints in thesand-mold. 1 Then the casting is cold, it is taken out of the sand andthe ends of the spursb are chipped off or otherwise removed.

Special provision is made for ventilating (technically venting) thecore. Each core is roughly shaped in two halves 0 0 one of which may beshaped on the core-bar B and caused to adhere by a coating of clay-wash.The other is molded separately in a separate core-box or other device,and is applied in position against the core-bar and the other part ofthe core and made to adhere thereto while plastic. The baking unites thetwo parts into one, with a diamond-section channel 0 running along thewhole length. This channel serves as a perfect vent, and I have, whenall is correctly performed, obtained perfect castings.

I use a very fusible mixture of metal and raise it to as high aheat aspracticable. The mold is gated at several places; but these precautionsmay not be necessary to produce thick radiators. I have succeeded inmaking thin castings. I have experimented in iron; but other metals maybe used.

The presence of the core-bar in the completed radiator is of advantagein promoting circulation of the steam, as set forth at the commencement.The core-bar aids to form two channels, in one of whioha vigorouscurrent of steam may be ascending, while in another, partially separatedby the core-bar, the water and air may be descending. There is anotheradvantage in the retention of the core-bar. Its great capacity for heatmakes the action of the radiator more uniform than it would be withoutit. The thin external shell holds little heat. If it is thickened itholds more heat; but the flow of heat outward is retarded by theincreased thickness. Ikeep the shell thin and supply a liberal stock ofiron in the inclosed core-bar, which absorbs heat from the steam whenthe heat is great and gives it off again when the heat is less, and thuscontributes to uniformity.

In coupling my radiators to the base M, I use threaded thimbles P. Incoupling them to a return G at the top I can set the return on onebefore applying it, using a thimble P to unite the other.

By forming the radiator with the stout projections A as shown, I insuresufficient heat at those points to effect a permanent union, a fusion ofthe surface of the inclosed spurs b, so that the metal will combine andstand thenceforward as if made in one single casting, the core-bar andthe radiator. This end will be facilitated by cleaning and turning thisportion of each spur 1) before putting the cores in the sand; but I donot esteem such precaution generally necessary.

The inversion of alternate radiators causes the inclines A A to stand,not each in the same plane as the next, but in a different plane-zigzag,technically staggered. This is of much advantage in mixing and warmingthe air.

The serpentine form of my radiators not only exposes greater surface andunder conditions which cause the current of ascending air to bethoroughly warmed, but also oifers great elasticity. Two of my radiatorsheld rigidly together by the returns A may be heated unequally by amovement of steam up one driving the previously-contained air down theother with any degree of slowness, so that one is heated and expanded inadvance of the other without inducing any severe strain on either,because the bends allow the several inclined parts of the heated one tobe compressed slightly together and the inclined parts of the cooler oneto be extended or stretched apart easily.

I do not in this patent claim the mold to produce the construction. Suchis made the subject of a separate application for Letters Patent filedSeptember 4, 1889, Serial N 0. 322,891.

I claim as my invention- 1. A cast-metal radiator in serpentine form A AA in combination with a corresponding but smaller serpentine bar B,rigidly attached by spurs b in its interior, as herein specified.

2. A heater composed of a series of serpentine pipes or sections A A Aeach having a corresponding serpentine core-bar B, with spurs I) held ina fixed position therein, as herein specified.

3. The sections A, having inclines A and A in opposite directions, withcurved junctions A and long and short ends A A alternately inverted, incombination with a serpentine bar B and spurs b and with a base M, allarranged to serve as herein specified.

4. The sections A, having inclines A and A in opposite directions, withcurved juncmy hand, at New York city, N. Y., this 25111 tions A and longand short ends A A and day of March, 1889, in the presence of two websA, combined with a base M and with subscribing witnesses.

returns G, connecting the tops of adjacent JOHN HOUSTON. 5 sections, allarranged to serve as herein Vitnesses:

specified. THOMAS DREW STETSON,

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set CHAS. F. BARTER.

